Air conditioner



Sept. 4, 1934. L, w CHILD 1,972,088

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AIR CONDITIONER Filed Sept. 19! 1931 s Sheets-Sheet a 50 3/ .10 l Z7 j I J/ I 1 gwuentoz Patented Sept. 4, 1934 UNITED STATES AIR CONDITIONER Lachlan W. Child, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Air- Way Electric Appliance Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application September 19, 1931, Serial No. 563,848

314 ()laims. (ill. 261-92) My invention relates to air conditioners and has as one of its objects to provide a novel type of air humidifier which will humidify at a rate slow enough so that it may be allowed to operate constantly.

Another object is to provide a humidifier which, in humidifying the air passing therethrough, will not allow particles of water to escape into the atmosphere. One drawback of many humidifiers is up their tendency to distribute not only gaseous water but actual droplets of water, dampening any objects that may be in the path of the air leaving the humidifier.

fully overcome such conditions and to provide only moisture in the form of pure vapor.

The invention is carried out in that type of humidifier in which a rotating carrier dips into a tank of water and carries it into an air stream produced by a suitable blower, the air stream serving not only to carry moisture into the atmosphere to be conditioned, but also to give motion to the carrier.

A number of problems arise in connection with this type of humidifier, one of which is that stated above, namely, producing pure water vapor without allowing any water in liquid form to escape into the atmosphere being conditioned.

I have found that the difliculties arising in this connection are best solved in an arrangement wherein the blower is located at a distance from the carrier, so as to allow the air stream to diffuse and strike the carrier with uniform intensity throughout the cross-sectional area, whereby a relatively large volume of air may be passed through the carrier without blowing particles of moisture in liquid form from the surfaces thereof. Another important element in the successful solving of this problem is the arrangement to secure a slow, steady rotation of the carrier. I employ a carrier with relatively narrow vanes, positioned so that only a portion, preferably not substantially greater than half of the entire area of the carrier, is exposed to the air stream, while the other half is substantially all positioned within a water tank or behind suitable casing walls, the water having the effect of slowing down the rotation of the carrier.

Another element of assistance is the arrangement so that there is some space between the water level and that of the upper edge of the tank or wall which delimits the lower region of the air stream, whereby the water may be allowed to spread into a thin film on the surfaces of the carrier before the air stream strikes it.

This invention aims to Another object of my invention is to provide in this type of humidifier heating means both for aiding vaporization and for heating the atmosphere being conditioned.

Other objects of my invention are to attain simplicity in construction; to provide a novel casing structure for housing the parts of the device and including means for allowing inspection and repair of the parts, whereby the removable humidifier unit may be disassociated from the case of the conditioner, and to provide a mounting for the rotatable carrier which is resistant to excessive wear caused by constant operation of the humidifier, resistant to the corrosive action of the water being humidified, virtually noiseless in operation, relatively inexpensive, and constructed to allow ready removal of the carrier.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the combination construction and arrangement of the various parts thereof, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as more fully set forth in the accompanying specifications, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the conditioner, parts being broken away to better illustrate the construction thereof.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the same taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through the carrier mounting taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the conditioner, parts being broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the conditioner taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the carrier hub and associated parts.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the humidifier unit with the carrier removed.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the conditioner embodyinga somewhat modified form of humidifying unit.

, Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 5, or the modification shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

In order that the conditioner may be employed as a portable heating unit for use in any room or spot where heat may be desired, I provide a castion. This case includes the side walls 10, the

front panel 11 and the rear panel 12, connected by means of the decorative comer posts 13 terminating at their lower ends in legs 14.

The side walls 10 and front panel 11 may be welded or otherwise secured to the corner posts 13, but the rear panel12 is held in place simply by the engagement of its edge portions within the channelled corner posts 13. The bottom plate 15 is secured to and extends between the rear corner posts 13 and a trough or channel is formed between the upper region thereof and a strip 16 welded or otherwise secured to the plate 18, to receive the lower edge of the rear panel 12.

The bottom wall 17 is secured between the rear plate 15 and the front panel 11.

An angle iron cross bar 18 connects the upper extremities of the rear posts 13, and the rear panel 12 is received between the rear face of this cross bar and the forward faces of the rear arms of the corner posts 13.

A cover 19 is hinged at 20 to the upper extremity of the rear panel 12, and rests at its forward extremity upon buttons 21 of cushioning material secured to an angle iron cross bar 22 attached to the upper extremity of the forward panel.

The forward panel 11 has the air induction openings 23 in its lower region and the air passage openings 24 in its upper region. The openings 24 are preferably defined in a grille member which may be conveniently referred to by the reference character 25. I

The humidifying unit comprises a tank and partition wall assembly shown in Fig. '7, and the rotating carrier shown in Figs. 1 and 5, removably mounted in the tank assembly.

The tank assembly includes the forward wall 26, the rear'wall 2'7, and the end walls 28. The rear wall 27, extended upwardly, forms the partition 29 separating the carrier compartment A from the heater compartment B (see Fig. 5).

The end walls 28, continued upwardly as at '30, provide braces for the partition 29. Shoulders 31, formed between the end walls 28 and the braces 30, support the tank assembly upon ledges 32 secured to the side walls 10 (Fig. 1)

The partition 29 is continued in a horizontal plane at right angles to itself, to form a top shelf 33, extending to the horizontal arm of the bar 18 to close the. compartment 13 from the top and to cover the mechanism contained therein.

A pair of upwardly opening channelled brackets 34, are secured to the walls 26 and 27 in opposed relation. The carrier, which is constructed in the form of a fan to receive movement from the air passing through the conditioner, includes a shaft 35 to the ends of which are secured collars 36 resting in and centered by the brackets 34. The carrier has a hub 37 in the ends of which are secured a pair of bearings 38. The shaft 35 passes through the bearings 38, and. the collars 36 form end bearings for the hub, engaging against the bearings 38. a

In searching for suitable bearing structure for this humidifier I have encountered considerable difficulty. One problem to be contended with has been that of guarding against corrosion.

Any bearing allowing oil to escape on the surface of the water will destroy the humidifying action of the condition by producing a film of oil on the blades of the carrier such as to practically destroy their ability to lift water out of the tank. The conditions practically impose the use of a small shaft, in view of the limited amount of power available in the air stream for rotating the carrier.

Experiments with agate bearings proved unsuccessful.

After considerable search I have discovered that a hard cast alloy, commonly used in wire drawing dies, makes an ideal bearing. Similar material is used in the shaft which is of relatively small diameter. In spite of the dry contact of like metals, I find that there is practically no friction when highly polished shafts and bearings are employed, since the weight of the carrier is not sufficient to cause the metals to bite into each other and there is virtually no wear due to their extreme hardness.

I do not claim to have invented the particular material used in the shaft and bearings, and identify it merely as a non-ferrous alloy of extreme hardness. In this respect, I consider that my invention lies in the discovery that a relatively small shaft may be employed in conjunction with bearings of substantially the same material without lubrication to support for rotation a device having very little weight, so that the device operates indefinitely without appreciable wear.

Formed integrally with the hub 37 is a spider 39 in which are set the ends of the carrier vanes 40. The outer ends of these vanes are secured to a rim 41 which is circular.

The carrier is balanced uniformly around its circumference so that a relatively mild current of air will rotate the carrier slowly. The use of a large number of vanes contributes to the delicacy of response to a mild current of air and the virtual lack-of friction in the bearing hitherto discussed is another factor in the production of this result.

The partition 29 is provided with a semi-circular opening 42 allowing air to travel from the heating compartment B against the upper region of the carrier and thence through the carrier and through the grille 25 to the atmosphere to be conditioned. It may be noted at this point that the lower region of the carrier is received in the tank 26-28, and when the conditioner is in operation, this tank is normally partially filled with water as indicated by the lines 43.

Positioned near the rear panel 12 in parallel relationship thereto is a shield 44 the upper end of which is curved forwardly as at 45 to provide a deflector or hood-to guide the air currents forwardly through the opening 42 in the partition.

The inner surface, as indicated by the reference lead line 46, is highly polished to provide a reflecting surface tending to concentrate the radiant heat from the heating element 4'7 upon I the carrier.

The heating element 47 disclosed in the accompanying drawings is an electrical heat unit supplied with current through the lead wires 48 attached to the terminals 49 and controlled by a switch 50. The device indicated at 51 is a thermal cut-out to protect the heating aement from overheating in case of failure of the blower.

The switch 50 also controls the current supply to the blower motor 51 through the motor cords The current supply wires which are attached to any current supply system such as the usual volt lines used for supplying dwellings, are shown at 53.

- I employ a motor blower unit comprising the opposed blower casings 54 connected by a top wall 55 which is apertured as shown at 56 in Fig. 4 to allow the delivery of air from the centrifugal fans 57 to the heater compartment B".

The end spaces between the ends of the top wall and the end walls 10 of the conditioner casing are closed by plates 58 secured to the end walls 10.

In order to securely position and receive the water tank 26-28 I provide a tank pocket including a vertical pocket wall 59 and a horizontal pocket wall 60 which is secured to and rests upon the end plates 58, the latter in turn resting upon the blower unit as shown in Fig. 4, and serving, in conjunction with the top wall 55, and the end plates 58, to separate the blower compartment C from the heater compartment 3".

It may now be noted that the tank assembly may be removed from the casing by simply lifting upwardly upon the partition 29, the fingers of the operator being extended through the opening 42. This will expose the heating element to view from the top of the conditioner.

Should it be desired to have access to the lower compartment the rear panel 12 may be raised. The shield 44 is supported by brackets 62 secured to the end walls 10, the shield being attached to the brackets by means of screws 63 (see Fig. 4).

The heating element 47 is supported by yoke shaped brackets 65 having dependent cars 66 which are bolted as at 67 to the ends of the heating element. The bracket 65 in turn is secured as by bolts 68 upon angle iron ledges 69 secured to the end walls 10.

Should it be desired to remove the heating element for repair, the shield 45 may be detached by removing screws 63 after the rear panel 12 has been removed. The heating element may then be removed by detaching the brackets 65- from their supporting ledges 69.

Turning now to the operation of the device, the fans 57 are arranged to take air from the motor compartment D through the openings 70 in the lower casings 54 and thence to pass the air upwardly through the openings 56 into the heater compartment B. Air enters the blower compartment C through the openings 23 in the panel 11. The air is thence forced upwardly through the heater 47 and thence forwardly through the carrier and out through the grille 25. The course of travel of the air stream through the conditioner is indicated by the arrows '71.

It is to be noted that the air is first heated and then passed through the carrier. Air passing through the carrier and upon the inclined vanes 40 of the carrier will slowly rotate the carrier which in turn will carry moisture from the tank 2628 upwardly into the path of the air stream.

1.- In view of the fact that the carrier rotates relatively slowly, the water will not be thrown into a spray. The humidifying will take place simply as an evaporation process against the wet surface of the carrier blades.

A further advantage of the arrangement embodied in my invention resides in the fact that the water in the tank, acting against one side of the rotating carrier, will slow down the rotation of the carrier to approximately one-tenth of the -rate at which the carrier will rotate when the tank is dry. Thus the rate of rotation of the carrier apprises the householder as to the condition of the water within the tank, i. e., whether the tank has sufiicient water or is empty. In the device as it is actually built, when the tank is supplied with sufiicient water, the carrier will extent that the vanes will become blurred to the eye of the observer. Thus it is very easy to ascertain by simply glancing at the conditioner, whether or not it is supplied with water.

The funnel is provided for the purpose of preventing splashing of water out of the conditioner while the tank is being filled. It is formed by securing to the partition 29 a channel shaped piece of sheet metal.

In the modified form of humidifying unit shown in Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive, the tank 26-28 and the partition 29 are formed as separate units. The tank is supported on the ledges 32 by means of the flanges 31a, and is provided with handles 81 secured to the inner surfaces of its under walls 28 in order that it may be raised from the casing.

The partition 29 supports the carrier, being provided at its lower edge with a rearwardly bent flange 82 to which is secured the rectangular shaped carrier frame 83. To the sides of the carrier frame 83, extending toward each other therebetween, are secured a pair of brackets 84 (Fig. 10) into which are threaded studs 85 carrying at their inner ends bearings 86. The shaft 87 is secured in the hub 88 of the carrier and the ends of the shaft project into the conical recesses of the bearings 86. Adjustment of the bearings is accomplished by rotating the studs 85 by means of a screw driver extended through openings 88 in the carrier frame 83..

To the ends of the carrier frame 83 are secured angle iron bracket members 89 by means of which the frame and the partition 29 are supported upon the flanges 31a of the tank.

Returning to the generic aspect of the invention, and referringparticularly to Fig. 5, it will be noted that a very compact arrangement within a rectangular casing has been achieved. The tank and carrier occupy the upper forward region of the casing; the heat unit and air duct occupy the rear portion of the casing; the blower occupies the lower region, and there is considerable separation between the blower and the carrier, thereby allowing the air stream to diffuse and engage the carrier with a gentle uniform pressure that does not blow droplets of water from the moist carrier surfaces.

The air is heated before it strikes the carrier, and, in such heated condition, will absorb a greater amount of moisture than if cold. It will be understood, however, that as a humidifier only, the device will retain the abovementioned advantageous properties withoutthe heat unit. By placing the carrier in front of the semi-circular opening in the partition wall 29, all of the diffused air stream is forced to work upon the carrier. The water'holds back the carrier, by its contact with the lower half thereof, and the result is a perfectly controlled, steady, uniform movement of the carrier, with no tendency to race and fling droplets of water into the air stream.

Maximum evaporation is attained by employing a large number of relatively narrow blades, allowing full contact of the air stream with all moist surfaces. The large number of blades also assists in the uniform steadiness of rotation.

The heater, comprising a series of parallel, longitudinally arranged vertical plates, assists in moulding the air stream to uniform density.

A factor in obtaining slow movement of the carrier is the fact that less than half its surface is exposed to the air stream.

The tank is very little wider than the thickness of the carrier, and its walls and the grille project sufficiently above the normal water level to give the water a chance to spread into a uniform film on the surfaces of the carrier blades before encountering the air current. Even though the tank should be filled to the top, the grille 25 will still project substantially above the water level.

While the air column as it moves past the heat unit will undoubtedly attain uniform density, there will be some concentration of density at the top of the device due to the inertia of the moving air column as it strikes the curved hood 45, but whatever such concentration there may be, it will be beneficial, since it will cause maximum contact at the top of the carrier, after the surplus water has been removed by the feebler lower region of the air stream. Maximum efiiciency of absorption is thus attained, with minimum tendency toward carrying away droplets of liquid water. Thus it is an advantage to move the air stream around'a curved path just prior to its striking the carrier.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a humidifier, a casing, a blower therein for producing an air stream therethrough, a carrier rotatably mounted therein so that a portion of said carrier projects into the air stream, means to supply liquid to an opposite region of the carrier, said carrier being remote from the blower whereby the air stream will diffuse into a substantially uniform air column which will not remove droplets of the liquid from the carrier and a heat unit comprising a plurality of elongated, fiat elements arranged side by side in spaced parallel relation, extending substantially from end to end of the casing, and located in the path of the air stream from blower to carrier.

2. In a humidifier, an upright casing, a water tank mounted on the front wall thereof, spaced from the bottom thereof to form a blower compartment, from the rear'wall thereof to form an upright air duct, andlfrom the top thereof to form a horizontal continuation of said duct, a carrier rotatably mounted in said tank and projecting thereabove in the path of the air stream through said ducts, a blower unit comprising a pair of opposed casings connected by a top wall that is apertured in registry with the casings and is positioned just below the bottom of the tank, and a pair of plates secured to the end walls of the humidifier casing and projecting inwardly to meet the top wall of the blower unit.

3. In a humidifier, an upright casing, a blower unit in the bottom of the casing, comprising a pair of blower casings and atop wallconnecting said casings and apertured in registry therewith, a vertical wall secured to and extending upwardly from said top wall of the blower unit, said vertical wall being spaced from the front wall of the humidifier casing to form a tank compartment, from the rear wall of the humidifier casing to form an air duct extending upwardly from the blower unit, and from the top wall of the humidifier casing to form a horizontal continuation of said air duct extending forwardly, a liquid tank in said tank compartment, and a carrier the lower region of which dips into the tank and the upper region of which projects into said horizontal portion of the air duct.

4. In' a humidifier, a water tank, a pair of upwardly opening recessed brackets therein mounted on the opposite walls thereof; a shaft, collars secured to the ends of said shaft and resting in said brackets, and a carrier wheel freely journalled upon the shaft between said collars, and retained by said collars against movement axially of the shaft, the shaft being adapted to remain stationary while the carrier rotates.

5. In a humidifier, a casing, a water tank, an apertured partition forming a continuation of one side of the tank, means to support the tank in the casing, and a wheel shaped, air stream rotated carrier journalled in the tank opposite said aperture parallel to said partition, the tank and partition comprising an. integral unit removable from the casing as such.

6. In a humidifier, a casing having an air intake opening and a grille for the discharge of air from the humidifier, means to produce a circulation of air through the casing and out through the grille, an air stream rotated carrier wheel rotatably mounted in the casing on an axis perpendicular to and with its upper region disposed behind the grille; a water tank disposed below the grille and within the casing, the lower region of the carrier dipping into said tank, a funnel supported within the casing adjacent the periphery of the carrier in a position wherein its lower end communicates with the tank and its 1 upper end is near the level of the top of the casing and a hinged cover normally covering the top of the casing, said funnel being accessiblewhen the cover is raised.

7. In a humidifier, an upright casing having a 1 discharge opening in its front wall, a water tank having a front wall below said opening and a rear wall extending to the top of the casing, a horizontal continuation of said rear wall extending to the back of the casing, an aperture in said rear 1 Wall, a carrier wheel journalled in the tank in front of said aperture, a vertical duct being formed in the casing between said rear wall and the back of the casing, and continued forwardly through said aperture and discharge opening, and 1 a blower in the lower region of the casing, discharging into said duct.

8. In a humidifier, a casing, having a discharge opening in its forward wall, a water tank adjacent said forward wall, below said discharge open- 1 ing, a partition wall extending from said tank to the top of the casing, a horizontal continuation of said partition wall, extending rearwardly therefrom to the back of the casing, an aperture in the partition wall, extending above the tank, a vertil;

cal duct being formed between said partition wall, the tank and the back of the casing, said duct being continued forwardly through said aperture,

a carrier wheel journalled on a horizontal axis, dipping into the tank, and projecting across the 1 space between said aperture and said discharge opening, and a blower in the lower region of the casing, discharging into said duct.

9. In a humidifier, an upright casing, a blower unit in the bottom of the casing, including an 1 upwardly opening housing, a vertical wall meeting said housing forwardly of its discharge opening and extending upwardly, said vertical wall being spaced from the frontwall of the humiditherear wall of the humidifier casing to form an air duct extending upwardly from the blower fier casing to form a tank compartment, from-1 ment therein spaced from the bottom wall of the casing to form a blower compartment from the rear wall of the casing to form an air duct extending upwardly from said blower compartment, and from the top wall of the casing to form a horizontal continuation of said duct extending forwardly, a blower in said blower compartment, arranged to discharge'into said duct, a liquid tank removably mounted in said compartment, and a carrier the lower region of which dips into the tank and the upper region of which projects into said horizontal portion of the air duct.

11. In a humidifier, a water tank, a pair of upwardly opening recessed brackets on the opposite walls thereof, a polished shaft of exceedingly hard metal, collars secured to the respective ends of the shaft and resting in said brackets, and a carrier wheel including a hub and bushings of hard metal mounted in said hub and journalled on the shaft between said collars.

12. In an air conditioner, an upright casing, a blower occupying the lower region thereof, partitioning means dividing the space above said blower into two compartments each extending from end to end of the casing and from top to bottom of said space, an opening of limited area being formed near the top of said partitioning means, providing communication between said compartments, humidifying means in the front compartment, a heating element in the rear compartment, between the blower and said opening, said rear compartment serving as an extended air duct receiving all of the discharge of said blower, whereby a stream of heated, humidified I air may be produced.

13. In an air conditioner, an upright casing, a blower occupying the lower region thereof, partitioning means dividing the space above said blower into two compartments each extending from end to end of the casing and from top to bottom of said space, an opening of limited area being formed near the top of said partitioning means, providing communication between said compartments, humidifying means in the front compartment, a heating element in the rear compartment, between the blower and said opening, said rear compartment serving as an extended air duct receiving all of the discharge of said blower, whereby a stream of heated, humidified air may be produced, said humidifying means comprising a wheel shaped, fan bladed carrier rotatably mounted in said forward compartment in a plane parallel to -the general plane of the compartment. I

14. In a humidifier, a casing having intake and discharge openings, means to produce a circulation of air through the casing and through said openings, 9. water tank in the casing, acarrier dipping into the tank and extending into the path of the air currents travelling through thecasing, a funnel supported in the casing with its lower end communicating with the tank and its upper end near the top of the casing, and a hinged cover normally covering the top of the casing, said funnel being accessible when the cover is raised.

LACHLAN W. CHILD. 

